Type IV Pilus Alignment Subcomplex Proteins PilN and PilO Form Homo- and Heterodimers in Vivo.

ABSTRACT: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections and is resistant to many antibiotics. Type IV pili (T4P) are among the key virulence factors used by P. aeruginosa for host cell attachment, biofilm formation, and twitching motility, making this system a promising target for novel therapeutics. Point mutations in the conserved PilMNOP alignment subcomplex were previously shown to have distinct effects on assembly and disassembly of T4P, suggesting that it may function in a dynamic manner. We introduced mutations encoding Cys substitutions into pilN and/or pilO on the chromosome to maintain normal stoichiometry and expression levels and captured covalent PilNO heterodimers, as well as PilN and PilO homodimers, in vivo Most covalent PilN or PilO homodimers had minimal

SUBMITTER: Leighton TL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5025680 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature